THE GOOSE. 197 



" The Northumberland Household Book," was " iij for a 

 penny," while hens could be bought " at ijd. a pece." 



" Item, it is thoughte goode to by PlDGlONS for my 

 Lords Meas, Maister Chambreleyne, ande the Stewardes 

 Meas, so they be boughte after iij for a penny. 



" Item, it is thoughte goode HENNES be boughte from 

 Cristynmas to Shroftide, so they be good and at ijd. 

 a pece. Ande my Lorde Maister Chambreleyne and the 

 Stewardes Meas to be syrved with theym and noon 

 outher." 



A much more notable bird for the table is the Goose. 



" Item, it is thoughte goode to by GEYSSE so that 

 they be good and for iijd. or iiijd. at the moste seynge 

 that iij or iiij Meas may be served thereof." 



This bird is mentioned in As You Like It, Act iii. Sc. 4 ; 

 Love's Labour's Lost, Act iii. Sc. 1, and Act iv. Sc. 3 ; Mid- 

 summer Night's Dream, Act v. Sc. 1 ; Tempest, Act ii. Sc. 2 ; 

 Merry Wives of Windsor, Act v. Sc. 1 ; Romeo and Juliet, 

 Act ii. Sc. 4 ; Coriolanus, Act i. Sc. 4 ; and Merchant of 

 Venice, Act v. Sc. 1. 



Shakespeare draws a distinction between a grass-fed and 

 a stubble-fed goose : — 



" The spring is near, when green geese are a-breeding." 



Love's Labour's Lost, Act i. Sc. 1. 



May is the time for a green or grass-fed goose, while the 



